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I put this in the CaseIH forum only because I compared the other units to my 9230's. I tried a 2014 CR9090 Elevation, 2012 John Deere S680 and a 2014 CLAAS Lexion 760. I am not sure how to lay this all out and whether I can even remember everything that happened during a busy harvest??? Maybe I will start with some general observations about each model and then subsequently post on fuel use, grain loss, etc. Here goes:
First one was the Belgian built CR9090. I had a combine down on a weekend and no response from my dealer so I figured it would be a good time to start the demo's. Upon arrival we realized that the feeder chain had jumped a link on one side, likely from the last demo going way late at night in tough canola.
We ended up taking more stuff off to fix this than needed but was a good way to become familiar with the feeder house....I suppose. Once going(in wheat) it was running fairly even with the 9230 in the field, faster when pushed. This machine went all day and right to midnight in some VERY heavy wheat, straw got really tough near the end. We quit because feeder house was plugging with great regularity on the 9230 and generally straw was not breaking up as much. Feeder never plugged once on the 9090! Straw chop and spread was similar to my 9230 with Magna-cut but knives were left down on the 9090. Cab was very quiet and controls were laid out very well. Only real problem was that we broke the concave shear-bolt once so I got to learn how to replace that, I can think of a few ways to make that job way easier... This was the only combine that I didn't drive personally as my normal combine guy was driving due to his being broken. He liked the machine.
I had a 2012 John Deere S680 out two separate times, once in canola, once in wheat. I drove it in canola once we finished weighing rounds for awhile. Although the controls were different I could tell that they were very refined and would be easy to use once familiar with them. First thing that stood out to me was the flimsy piece of plastic on the door. Unload auger was fast and controls were great. Having the autosteer function on the top of the monitor was very handy for changing a line or nudging. There was a few little error codes but this machine was the only one with any amount of hours on it, I believe around 600??? Machine was a little noisier than I am used to but current models would be better. When it got dark this unit likely had the best lighting package of all the units I tried. Feeder plugged after dark in canola although not nearly as often as my 9230's. Once plugged though the machine had to idle down to begin reversing and then throttle up after, if it didn't work first try...same nonsense over again. Did not like this reverser setup. Pick-up header seemed to throw more canola seeds around FWIW. I don't like all the little beeping that comes from JD monitors. Looked to be well built, only machine with a steel fuel tank if that means anything. Pro-drive was best transmission by far except for a clunky shift right above field speed, I actually spun it out and dug holes climbing a hill!!!
I had a CLAAS 760 out for a day in canola and a day in wheat. Unload auger was by far the poorest of them all, did not swing far enough ahead and was very noisy. As a whole this machine was the noisiest of all the units. Probably the largest of them all too though. It was running cruise-pilot and cemos in canola and worked great until dark when I stopped using cruise-pilot because it was likely set wrong(almost plugged a couple of times). Of all the machines this one would be the hardest to learn for operating, lack of a touchscreen didn't help. I liked the c-motion handle. I didn't find the turning radius to be that much of an issue although it was less than the others. Stone trap was awful to dump as you had to crawl under and pull stuff out, a hockey stick would solve this. Turbo-chop worked very well. As big as the capacity is on these units they need bigger grain tanks. Window never got any dust on it in 2 days!!! I have no idea why, never even used the wiper. I blew out the air filter after but basically no dust at all in there either. Nothing close to a feeder house plug in two days either.
A little bit on my 9230's as well. You likely have heard me complain of chopper issues in the past... Turns out one chopper rotor was not straight and likely was the cause for all my bearing issues since new. Other unit never lost a bearing in two seasons. CaseIH has by far the best rear access ladder of all the combines. Feeder house is often the limiting factor on these machines. The dog-tooth clutch they added to the feeder chain on the 30 series often gives out, I can't count how many reverses we did this year! Going forward I would weld that thing up to avoid it slipping ever, there still is a slip clutch on the rock trap and chain together.
More to come but I will entertain questions as well.
First one was the Belgian built CR9090. I had a combine down on a weekend and no response from my dealer so I figured it would be a good time to start the demo's. Upon arrival we realized that the feeder chain had jumped a link on one side, likely from the last demo going way late at night in tough canola.
We ended up taking more stuff off to fix this than needed but was a good way to become familiar with the feeder house....I suppose. Once going(in wheat) it was running fairly even with the 9230 in the field, faster when pushed. This machine went all day and right to midnight in some VERY heavy wheat, straw got really tough near the end. We quit because feeder house was plugging with great regularity on the 9230 and generally straw was not breaking up as much. Feeder never plugged once on the 9090! Straw chop and spread was similar to my 9230 with Magna-cut but knives were left down on the 9090. Cab was very quiet and controls were laid out very well. Only real problem was that we broke the concave shear-bolt once so I got to learn how to replace that, I can think of a few ways to make that job way easier... This was the only combine that I didn't drive personally as my normal combine guy was driving due to his being broken. He liked the machine.I had a 2012 John Deere S680 out two separate times, once in canola, once in wheat. I drove it in canola once we finished weighing rounds for awhile. Although the controls were different I could tell that they were very refined and would be easy to use once familiar with them. First thing that stood out to me was the flimsy piece of plastic on the door.
Unload auger was fast and controls were great. Having the autosteer function on the top of the monitor was very handy for changing a line or nudging. There was a few little error codes but this machine was the only one with any amount of hours on it, I believe around 600??? Machine was a little noisier than I am used to but current models would be better. When it got dark this unit likely had the best lighting package of all the units I tried. Feeder plugged after dark in canola although not nearly as often as my 9230's. Once plugged though the machine had to idle down to begin reversing and then throttle up after, if it didn't work first try...same nonsense over again. Did not like this reverser setup. Pick-up header seemed to throw more canola seeds around FWIW. I don't like all the little beeping that comes from JD monitors. Looked to be well built, only machine with a steel fuel tank if that means anything. Pro-drive was best transmission by far except for a clunky shift right above field speed, I actually spun it out and dug holes climbing a hill!!!I had a CLAAS 760 out for a day in canola and a day in wheat. Unload auger was by far the poorest of them all, did not swing far enough ahead and was very noisy. As a whole this machine was the noisiest of all the units. Probably the largest of them all too though. It was running cruise-pilot and cemos in canola and worked great until dark when I stopped using cruise-pilot because it was likely set wrong(almost plugged a couple of times). Of all the machines this one would be the hardest to learn for operating, lack of a touchscreen didn't help. I liked the c-motion handle. I didn't find the turning radius to be that much of an issue although it was less than the others. Stone trap was awful to dump as you had to crawl under and pull stuff out, a hockey stick would solve this.
Turbo-chop worked very well. As big as the capacity is on these units they need bigger grain tanks. Window never got any dust on it in 2 days!!! I have no idea why, never even used the wiper. I blew out the air filter after but basically no dust at all in there either. Nothing close to a feeder house plug in two days either.A little bit on my 9230's as well. You likely have heard me complain of chopper issues in the past... Turns out one chopper rotor was not straight and likely was the cause for all my bearing issues since new. Other unit never lost a bearing in two seasons. CaseIH has by far the best rear access ladder of all the combines. Feeder house is often the limiting factor on these machines. The dog-tooth clutch they added to the feeder chain on the 30 series often gives out, I can't count how many reverses we did this year! Going forward I would weld that thing up to avoid it slipping ever, there still is a slip clutch on the rock trap and chain together.
More to come but I will entertain questions as well.
